![]() In 1834, William Sands, a member of Second Church, took over the publishing of the Religious Herald and continued to do so for 22 years. This led to the formation in 1832 of Virginia Baptist Seminary, later called Richmond College, now the University of Richmond. They agreed to raise funds for an institution for Christian education. In June of 1830, a meeting of some of the delegates to the General Association took place at Second Church. Next was added a building at the east end of the lot for the Sunday school. ![]() After he began, attendance increased dramatically and by 1829, William and Lydia Crane donated the funds to install balconies on three sides of the building. The newly formed Richmond Female Judson Society provided hostesses for the event. The first meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia was held in the new church building on June 7, 1823. Slaves and freed blacks were admitted to membership from 1824 until most of the black members formed their own church in 1846. On October 26, 1822, the building was dedicated with a sermon by Robert B. Having purchased a lot on Eleventh Street, which was bounded on the north and south by two alleys, the church then decided in January 1822 to erect a brick building 50 by 60 feet, based on plans of a church in New Jersey where William Crane had been a member. The east side of 11th Street would have been approximately where the right side of the grass plot is. The 11th Street location would have been in the vicinity of the grass plot in the center. On the right is a portion of Bank of America Plaza. On the left is Sharon Baptist Church, at Central Garage, VA, said to have been rebuilt in the same style from the bricks of this structure. Because the group had no collateral, William Crane and his wife Lydia took title and gave a deed of trust to secure the purchase. By November 1821, they had purchased a lot 60 feet wide and 107 feet deep on the east side of Eleventh Street, between Main and Cary. On May 25, 1821, the church voted to obtain a permanent house of worship and began raising funds. He felt he had insufficient time to pastor the flock, although he was willing to do what he could free of charge and continued to do so for 4 1/2 years.įrom the beginning of the church until the Civil War, they held Friday night prayer meetings in addition to the Wednesday night meetings. At the time he had a full time job working for Judge Boulding. ![]() The following day, First Church agreed to acknowledge fellowship with the new body and it was officially organized.ĭavid Roper led the new congregation, but repeatedly refused to be elected as pastor. Semple, Luther Rice and Peter Ainslie, but the beginning was postponed to the next day. The church met there for formal constitution on July 11, 1820, with three ministers present: Robert B. ![]() This location housed the congregation for about two years. Brown’s house at Eleventh and Main Streets was transacted. The Sunday school proponents met and agreed to ask for permission to form another church.įirst Baptist voted to declare non-fellowship with the new church, but the group continued on and held its first church service on June 25, 1820, in a schoolroom. This caused some dissension and the congregation voted to remove the school from the church building. Others joined in and after a time the Sunday school was moved to the balcony of First Baptist. In 1816, William Crane and David Roper began a Sunday school for children, which met in the second story of Dabney’s Shoe Shore on the north side of Broad Street, between Eighth and Ninth streets. That spirit is still present and alive in Second Baptist Church. So that through all these years we have known how good and pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity, and have had within the sacred circle of our inner church life a beautiful counterpart of the Psalmist’s bright vision of the communion of saints.” Into the presence of this spirit of fraternal affection, no demon of discord ever dared to enter. Out of it have grown that oneness of purpose and harmony of action which made us strong to will and to do for God. That grace is brotherly love whose sacred ties have so bound heart to heart that from the beginning until now we have ever had this unmistakeable evidence that we are the sons of God. Ellyson aptly said: “I have yet to name the crowning grace of this church, that which endears it more to me than its fair record of public service for Christ, or than all in us the outside world would most commend. Ellyson in an address on January 17, 1883. It was described over a century ago by Henry K. A spirit of harmony pervades the congregation in all areas of the church’s life.
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